<< >> NASA ASRS Report 424437, December 1998

Captain of a DC9-30 overshot assigned descent altitude due to distraction of the approach chart book falling off of its table. The captain noted his error and returned to assigned just in time for the approach controller to clear him to a lower altitude.

Attributes
ACN	424437
Time
Date	199812
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6650 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	424437
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	424020
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft on autoplt, captain flying descent to 7000 ft. '2000 ft to go' and '1000 ft to go' calls were made as appropriate. I put my hand on the vertical descent rate controller at 8000 ft as is my practice. However, at some point an approach chart book fell off its table. I allowed myself to be distraction long enough to descend 200 ft below 7000 ft, when the copilot announced 'below altitude.' I reversed the rate controller to command a climb, but the aircraft descended to 250-275 ft below 7000 ft before it began to climb. At some point, I also disconnected the autoplt to correct more expeditiously. This was a momentary deviation. ATC never said anything to us, and cleared us to a lower altitude as the aircraft was leveling at 7000 ft. It's a classic 'I can't believe I did that.'

Related reports:

• A CE560 flight crew overshot charted altitude by 300 ft on t...
• Departure B737-300 overshot its altitude as specified for th...
• Captain of a B727 overshot assigned altitude during descent ...
• Captain of a B737-300 overshot assigned altitude during desc...
• Atx pilot overshot his altitude during descent when distract...
• Flight crew overshot descent altitude due to distraction cau...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A DC9-30 OVERSHOT ASSIGNED DSCNT ALT DUE TO DISTR OF THE APCH CHART BOOK FALLING OFF OF ITS TABLE. THE CAPT NOTED HIS ERROR AND RETURNED TO ASSIGNED JUST IN TIME FOR THE APCH CTLR TO CLR HIM TO A LOWER ALT.

Narrative: ACFT ON AUTOPLT, CAPT FLYING DSCNT TO 7000 FT. '2000 FT TO GO' AND '1000 FT TO GO' CALLS WERE MADE AS APPROPRIATE. I PUT MY HAND ON THE VERT DSCNT RATE CTLR AT 8000 FT AS IS MY PRACTICE. HOWEVER, AT SOME POINT AN APCH CHART BOOK FELL OFF ITS TABLE. I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE DISTR LONG ENOUGH TO DSND 200 FT BELOW 7000 FT, WHEN THE COPLT ANNOUNCED 'BELOW ALT.' I REVERSED THE RATE CTLR TO COMMAND A CLB, BUT THE ACFT DSNDED TO 250-275 FT BELOW 7000 FT BEFORE IT BEGAN TO CLB. AT SOME POINT, I ALSO DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT TO CORRECT MORE EXPEDITIOUSLY. THIS WAS A MOMENTARY DEV. ATC NEVER SAID ANYTHING TO US, AND CLRED US TO A LOWER ALT AS THE ACFT WAS LEVELING AT 7000 FT. IT'S A CLASSIC 'I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THAT.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.